Lakeland Area Community Meetings

·         There were 13 high school students and 10 adults at the meeting this evening. 

·         The meeting began with Ernie St. Germaine sharing a teaching with a story about the role of women. 

The focus of the meeting was on the youth and hearing their ideas on how to create a place for them to gather.  Several of the students have attended conferences this past year, where they learned about how to create action plans.  The majority of the evening was spent brainstorming for a dream gathering place.  The students also brought up challenges they saw to this becoming a reality.  The adults were able to provide resources to the students, in terms of possible funding sources and people resources.  They asked questions to get the students to think.  Several students took turns capturing all the ideas on a flip chart, at times they had to ask for the ideas to slow down because they were coming so fast.  To make sure that everyone’s ideas were heard, everyone raised their hand when they had an idea, and one of the students would acknowledge each person when it was their turn to talk.  The students have lots of great brainstorms to make this idea work.  Below are some of the ideas, needs and possible solutions that came out of the meeting.

Needs:

• Transportation
• Funding
• Building and Location
• Creating activities and programs that students really want
• Adults to help supervise

Possible Solutions to Needs:

• Transportation:
• Bus shuttle
• Funding:
• Bob Kovar shared that there are grants that would help fund a project like this
• Kathy Schroeder from Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Carol Pfister said that programs they are involved with, and others like Kiwanis, Rotary and Lion’s Club are there to help support youth, and are always looking for opportunities to be involved.
• Fundraisers: bake sales, beat old cars for money, tell-a-thon
• Building and Location
• Students knew of some empty buildings that could work
• Creating activities and programs that students really want
• Giving a survey to high school students
• HOPE group has given a similar survey, and offered to share it with the students
• Have meetings to see who is interested
• Adults:
• The students asked Matt White if he would help out.
• One student suggested involving Azael Mesa and Gizelle Zenti who work with the entrepreneurship program. Students will make a list of adults they know they can count on for their help and then host a meeting with them.

• Dreams:
• Easy to get to
• Place to hang out with friends where there is something to do for teens
• Movie room, pool table, foosball, hot tub, video games, pool, carpet ball, air hockey, volleyball, ping pong, dances, musical chairs, PA system, kitchen, basket ball, vending machines, bowling, karaoke, stage, recording studio, football

• Suggestions:
• Pick a leader, spokesperson
• Remember the past efforts with youth gatherings, and learn from them
• Have each student ask adults they know who would help to become involved

• Ideas:
• One student shared a saying from her mom; “What you go through today will make you stronger tomorrow.”  She suggested that could be the theme of the gathering place.
• Partner with existing youth programs and centers
• Activities that involve young people and elders
• Scavenger hunts, time/finance capsules
• Exercise, walking around
• Name building ‘The Shack’

• Next Steps:
• Talk with Principal Bouche about using the auditorium for a meeting with high school students

NEXT MEETING will be Wednesday December 10, 2008 at LUHS School from 3:30-6pm.  We are moving the location of our meeting to accommodate the youth. See you all there!